Is it just me or does this show feel like it has two separate and distinct personalities now? I began to wonder what show I was watching by Friday and wonder what has happened to some of these characters in the last few weeks. Are the writers trying to spice things up (all the while ignoring the history of the show) or are they finding some dull new way to retread the show thinking that no one will notice? We have the reversal of Stephanie's attitude towards Brooke which is made to make her look better to Brooke's fans and then the macho power-playing Nick trying to 'control' Brooke which doesn't make him look too good. Then we are put to sleep by this growing rectangle of Dante-Bridget-Felicia-Dr. Dimples that quite. Ugh...been there, done that like a THOUSAND times only this time the characters are pretty, but boring to watch. So should I strap myself in for wild and wooly times to come or grab some No-Doze to get through it all?
I feel compelled to start with this new waffling Brooke we have seen this week. I have said many times that I have been all in favor of a stronger and more self-assured Brooke. I say 'waffling' because it seems that one minute she is firm about changing the direction in her life and the next she is caving in on her own decisions. I find this very strange. She has had the most checkered history of many leading ladies in soaps, but no one can accuse her of wavering all the time. When she takes steps in one direction, for better or worse, she sticks to it. Now she can barely make up her mind at all. I have to say this, though...as much as I like Nick and think they make a great couple, I think his power play by Nick and Stephen will backfire. Brooke should be able to make this decision on her own and for the right reasons, not because she has a chorus of 'protectors' behind her pushing their own agendas. Do I believe they want the best for her? Of course...but there is a fine line between protection in an altruistic sense and 'encouraging' someone along for your own gain. That's what I see happening and it will only to serve to give the Wooden One more ammunition to crawl inside her head and put the worst possible spin on the whole situation. I know I don't want to see that rotten abuser get a leg up on Nick but it could happen if he's not careful.
Brooke would have been better off telling Stephanie to stick her stocks and fake caring where the sun doesn't shine. But, it's obvious that the only person on the show her character cares about IS Stephanie. Yes, I said it. It seems that so much of her decision making over the years has been driven in some part to whether or not Stephanie approved or not. Much of it was probably designed to drive her crazy than to garner affection. So now she fell for the manipulation again and we see her finding every conceivable way to appease the Forrester's FIRST and everyone else (including herself) second. This will not help the long time Brooke supporters feel all warm and fuzzy about watching their favorite heroine tap-dance around the family that has treated her so badly over the years. Has she done her fair share of things to help that along...yes. I don't turn a blind eye to that but for her to start kissing butt again, this late in the game, is just humiliating to watch. She claims not to be all together trusting of the family but yet is still willing to make sure they are not axed per Nick's demand. Now she will come up with some feeble attempt to make Nick feel better but it will be too hard, in my opinion, for her to keep the snake from coming in between her and Nick. How do you run a company like that from another building across town anyway? You don't and that's why I wouldn't be surprised if that idea falls apart. If it doesn't on it's own, Ridge will help it along.
Really, Brooke is allowing herself to be manipulated by both sides of this feud, with her as the prize. I agreed with Nick when he told her that when the Forrester's figure out that she still wants to marry Nick and not Woodzilla, Stephanie would have started to pull back on all her new-found love and acceptance anyway. Stephanie is as fake as a $6 dollar bill. If having her favorite son on his alleged death bed is the only way she can change her behavior, I feel sorry for her. And Brooke has to have a better crap-detector than the one she has now. She is nothing more than a pawn at this point and I would love nothing better than to see her stand up to everyone and say 'Enough!! I'll do things my way and if you all don't like it, go pound sand!' But ultimately the writers have to give her that voice and make it stick. So far, their track record stinks.
And how about that Taylor? Doing a little mattress mambo with Brooke's dad of ALL people on this Earth! Oh good Lord!! I couldn't watch much if it...I had the TV on in the background and listened which was painful enough. If this is the writers attempt to 'spice' up her stale image now that she is living a Ridge-free life, they missed the mark yet again. Why make her loose and easy...after we made her a vengeful drunk? She took a step in the right direction by selling the scraps that Stephanie gave her...I thought that was the best thing she could have done. But then to follow that up with random "where the Hell did this come from' sex with Stephen? WHAT???? Is she that hard up? Why won't she sleep with Hector? Does he not light her fire? Sorry, I couldn't resist. Now Stephen will dog her out and she will be left drinking again in a dark living room. Great. After all, it seems he will be moving on to Jackie here soon before he goes recurring. What a gig...blow into town to try to get a relationship back with your estranged daughter and get a little off two attractive available women in the process. Talk about your WIN-WIN situations, huh? Yeah, I'd say his luck has changed. Speaking of that, he has never mentioned just what he is doing now that has allegedly made him so powerful and successful. Maybe he did something with all that cash Mojo gave him years back? Who knows...but he'll be out the door and off the show before we find out.
I will say this, though...Taylor better stand her ground when the Queen Bee comes-a-knockin'! I don't see it that she betrayed the Forrester's since she feels she was hung out to dry by Stephanie at the press conference. So what? She did try to give the stock back and Stephanie refused to take it...that's her fault. Taylor wanted a clean break and who can really blame her...except the woman who now will be looking for blood because she lost her company AGAIN and now no decades-old secret documents from her Daddy can erase this mess. Boo-Hoo.
I don't know about any of you readers, but I have had enough of watching a nude Felicia slink around the studio after Dante. Put some clothes on, girl! There could be a lot of interesting ways to make an impression than that. I still can't see the chemistry between them. Is it me? Am I jaded? However, I could see real sparks between her and the cute doctor! He's got it BAD for her and all the nonsense she is using to justify chasing Dante (having the baby raised by both it's parents) is weak! Since when did ANYONE on this show care who raises the kid? No one on B&B can ever stay together successfully 'for the sake of the children'. I personally think this has more to do with Felicia's obviously jealousy of Bridget. She didn't like how Bridget was not giving up on raising Dominick and she did not like how Bridget has Nick, then Dante and Felicia had nothing going on in her bedroom. Think about it...Felicia slept with Nick and Dante and they both ended up with Bridget thereafter. This is all wounded ego talking, not love or desire.
So the former Grace Turner from Y&R is coming to LA in the form of Donna Logan? Hmmm...I still say I would love to see her get caught in falling out of the sauna with Ridge and have Brooke see it! What a hoot that would be! Ridge needs to hook up with someone new anyway...if I have to stomach him on this show for the foreseeable future, please let him have sex with someone else. Of course they would have to do it on a bed that's twice the size of a king so there is room for his ego to lay down. But I hear that this Donna who is coming back has some sizzle, some feistiness so maybe he will have met his match if the writers have them hook up. If they don't, they will be missing the boat on what could be a hot story for the summer. I think she will be perfect in the role and look forward to seeing her soon. I have always said that some Logan's need to come back to town to stir the pot and this will really do the trick.
Someone is dying this summer and I am guessing that it may be Sally. It's supposed to be a long-time character and given the health issues she has had over the last few years, it would make sense. She hasn't has a viable story in forever and though I love her banter with Stephanie, it just hasn't been the same.
As for last week's question, it seemed that the two favorite couples of the past were Thorne and Brooke and, believe it or not, Grant and Macy. Wow, didn't see that one coming! A few readers said Thorne and Darla are cute together and that Ridge was good with Taylor when she was pregnant with the Doublemint Twins. Curiously, though, Brooke-Ridge were never brought up out of all the emails I received. Things that make you go hmmmmm...
It is that time of year readers for the famous Roll Call!! Let me know where in the world you partake in reading the Two Scoops column. It is by far the best week of the year when I get to hear everyone proudly represent their turf!
Have a great week!
